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Let's talk ceremony music

What are you guys all planning for your ceremony?? We considered doing a harpist or a string quartet, but as lovely as it would be; I just couldn't justify the cost. I wish we had an unlimited budget!!

Are you going for more modern with actual music or sticking with a more classical tone?? Mix of both?? I would love to hear what you are doing!

Re: Let's talk ceremony music

In the church they dont want secular music so that is limiting me some. we hired a violinist, and a cellist, it was about $350 for two people from the local symphony.. I am excited though, I am walking down the isle to Ich Liebe Dich, Edvard Greig, I sang it in high school for competitions, other than that we are working with the church music director to plan the rest..

I'm really not a fan of the songs in the middle of the ceremony. I am probably one of very few, but I can't stand the songs with the unity candle, or sand, or knot, or whatever happens while the guests try to focus on the couple's back and listen to the song.

We are only playing music while people are coming in. The family and bridesmaids walk in to Home by Edward Sharpe, I'm walking to Mess Is Mine by Vance Joy, and then the recessional is Dog Days are Over by Florence + the Machine. Super traditional haha

We are not having music being played in the middle of the ceremony, only during the beginning and then when we are walking back. My wedding is Disney themed, so the bridesmaids are walking down to "A Whole New World" from Aladdin and I am walking down to "Once Upon A Dream" from Sleeping Beauty, and when we come down as husband and wife we are walking back to "Hakuna Matta" by Baha Men. It is pre-recorded since we used our money on live music for the cocktail hour instead.

As guests are arriving and taking their seats, the DJ will be playing a lot of Vitamin String Quartet covers (if you haven't heard of them, check them out - they cover popular songs with instrumental-only strings - AWESOME). Cool way to be a little more "classical" about it but with popular songs. It's fun when the guests are listening and realize they know what it is!

Not sure what the groomsmen will walk in to yet or if they are just going to come in from the side instead of processing up the aisle (FI wants to keep that part low-key).

Bridesmaids are walking down to a Vitamin String Quartet cover of Van Morrison's Crazy Love.

I am walking in to the original version of Van Morrison's Sweet Thing (a la The Five Year Engagement... sounds so dumb but when we watched that movie together I instantly got choked up when Emily Blunt's character walked down the aisle to it and I HAD to use it. FI also sneakily played it in the car on the way to the proposal )

I have been looking at both Vitamin String Quartet and String Space to get inspired for music choices! I think it is the perfect mix for us since we had to forgo live music. I agree, we aren't having any music during our actual ceremony, but music is important to us and want the music as guests are arriving to feel like us.

We're just having our DJ do the ceremony music as well. The bridesmaids and bridesman are walking down to Cannon in D (honestly I love this song) and I'm walking down to Only Time by Enya. We're having another Enya song for our sapling ceremony (unity ceremony that involves planting a tree). We are recessing to Concerning Hobbits from Lord of the Rings.

Love the LOTR selections, @engagedhamstermom! We're also having our DJ play some music during the ceremony. We'll be walking in (processional) to "Sea of Love" by Cat Power and walking out (recessional) to "First Day of My Life" by Bright Eyes.

We are having a piano/ violin duo for our ceremony. They have a list of songs to choose from with
recommendations of what popular songs transfer well instrumentally so we just
chose the ceremony music from that to keep it simple. The following is what I am thinking for the
ceremony music….

While guests are arriving/ being seated:

All You Need Is Love – The Beatles

A Thousand Years – Christina Perri

Your Song – Elton John

All I Ask of You – Andrew Lloyd Webber

Clocks – Coldplay

I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz

Every Breath You Take – The Police

(If additional songs are needed to fill in time I am just
going to let them use their best judgement)

Processional:Cannon in D

Recessional:Bless the Broken Road – Rascal Flatts

My biggest concern is that I have a very small bridal party
(only one attendant each) and I am not sure how all of us walking down the
aisle will be timed right with the length of the song. Also, I am not sure how the guests will be signaled
to stand up if I am not doing the traditional wedding march, etc.

Finally, we are done! since we can't use secular music, I have been listening to classical music for the last 3 weeks. so a big sigh of relief if is all finalized. This will be all performed by a violinist, a cellist, and a few will have a Pianist. It is going to be beautiful, they all perform with the Cincinnati Symphony I love music with a cello!